Category: Advertising

They say imitation is the highest form of flattery. If that’s the case, Wieden+ Kennedy have been sitting in their Portland office blushing ever since the runaway success of their ‘Old Spice Man’ campaign.

I must admit I’ve never really been a fan of the commercials. I thought they were a little bit silly. I do, however, always appreciate a commercial with humor rooted in mocking the advertising pitchman.

I saw this sign during my lunch break this afternoon. I had to pull over, get out of the car and take a picture. I thought it was a small, but amusing and creative marketing effort for Messiah United Methodist (Lafayette Hill, PA). A reference to Jesus and beer…

Yo, I don’t think we should talk about this
Come on, why not?
People might misunderstand what we’re tryin’ to say, you know?
No, but that’s a part of life

For those that may not recognize these lyrics, they’re the opening verse from Salt-n-Pepa’s Grammy Nominated 1991 single ‘Let’s Talk About Sex.’ No, I’m not going to talk about sex, but I thought it was a fitting introduction for another topic that we as designers and communication professionals deal with on a daily basis… the issue of race. More specifically race and the spokespeople, models, and visuals brands choose when communicating with their target audience.

Last Thursday the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, won a Gold ADDY® in the Mass Transit/Public/Airline Exterior category.

For those that may not know…

The ADDY® Awards Competition exemplifies the industry’s largest and toughest competition for creative talent. With over 60,000 entries submitted annually, the awards are designed to ignite excellence and cultivate the highest standards in the art of advertising.

So, why am I so excited? Because I work for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania and developed the ‘Celebrate Diversity’ concept for last year’s annual Girl Scout cookie promotional campaign.

It’s the time of year when families gather. Traditions are celebrated, food is devoured and, although amid hurried schedules, everyone seems to make the time to reflect. Nostalgia seeps from the most common of things. It glistens in our neighborhoods and markets. It sings to us in silent snowfalls and oven timers. It pours out of our radios, evoking treasured memories.

Even our televisions are aglow in nostalgia. Familiar faces from our regular line-ups are replaced with those of Charlie, Bing and Ralphie. Advertising messages shift, and sometimes soften, for the ‘Season of Giving.’ Lexus freshens up its ‘Big Red Bow’ advertising. Kay lures men into purchasing diamonds with promises of gratitude, romance and happy Christmas memories. Cell phone companies sell ‘togetherness’ in the form of a family plan. The list goes on and on and into the New Year when the sales hit (and the messaging is anything but soft).